MORE NDP STUFF-THE PLOT THICKENS

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MORE NDP STUFF-THE PLOT THICKENS

Hi All!

Below are more internal NDP emails circulating. Mmmmmmmmm
JL

Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 9:37 PM
Subject: Fw: Response to Kingsway letter

As requested by Earl Shaw, I am passing on his reply to President Fox's letter. Mr. Fox's letter (towards the end of this
e-mail) defends the provincial executive's decision to take over the committees that will handle credentials and ballotting at the December 5 Vancouver-Kingsway nomination meeting.

Andrew Adler
Vancouver-Kingsway Membership Secretary



----- Original Message ----- From: "Lavina Shaw" lshaw@telus.net To: "Nikki Hill" Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 3:14 PM Subject: Re: Response to Kingsway letter Would you kindly circulate this memo to the Constituency President, Provincial Council Delegates, Provincial Executive and staff who received this email regarding the Vancouver Kingsway Nominating Committee. As a non-resident member of the Vancouver Kingsway Riding Executive, who attended the meetings of the Rules and Procedures Committee, I wish to go on the record to state unequivocally that the statements contained in Paragraph 2 of Mr. Fox's letter are not in accordance with the facts and that the actions taken are a violation of the constitution of the party. (1) The complaints of bias were not properly addressed in accordance with Article 9 Clause 7. (2) Article 9 Clause 7 gives the Provincial Executive the power to make final judgment on specific complaints that were not resolved by the Riding Executive. It has not authority to appoint an investigator to determine that there was a bias in the decisions of the Rules and Procedures Committee other than those referred to it for resolution. (3) In resolving specific complaints, it has no authority to overrule Article 9 Paragraph 1 of the constitution. To have that power, Article 9, Clause 7 would state "notwithstanding Article 9 Paragraph 1 of the constitution, etc....." The appointment of Balloting and Credentials Committee by the Provincial Executive is a flagrant violation of the constitution which could never be withheld in a court of law. It is time the party stopped giving lipservice to democracy and started practising it.
I believe all four candidates for the nomination are a credit to the party and capable of being a strong NDP voice in the next parliament. It is too bad their nomination process has become a matter of dirty politics.

Earl J. Shaw ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nikki Hill" <NikkiH@bc.ndp.ca> Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 11:43 AM Subject: Response to Kingsway letter>> > Friends,> > President Jeff Fox asked that I circulate this you in response to the> Vancouver Kingsway letter that you may have received.> > circulated via:> > Gerry Scott> Provincial Secretary> BC NDP> http://www.bc.ndp.ca> > >> To: Constituency Presidents> Provincial Council Delegates> Provincial Executive> Staff> > cc: Vancouver Kingsway members> > From: Jeff Fox, Provincial President>> Some of you may have received a letter from three members of the> Vancouver Kingsway Association, outlining their concerns with the Provincial> Executive's decision regarding a complaint from two candidates seeking> nomination in Kingsway. On behalf of the Provincial Executive, I want to> briefly explain the Executive decision and assure you that the> membership issues raised in the letter are being addressed to the fullest extent> possible.> > The Executive appointed Ballotting and Credentials committees after the> ocal association refused the suggestion of an independent "co-chair" and> after the Executive accepted the findings of an investigation by a Vice> President,Craig Keating, that there were grounds for a significant> perception of bias in the process. This action was taken under section 9.07> of the Constituion, which outlines the procedures for complaints on the> conduct of nomination meetings. Subsequent to the appointment of the two> committees by the Provincial Executive, the Kingsway officials were invited> to participate in these two appointed committees but declined, as did one> candidate for nomination.> > The letter from the three individuals also deals with their belief that the> provincial party has not followed up on concerns raised regarding the> voting eligibility of some members. This is not the case. For example, the> 'transfer-in' members are clearly marked on all lists as ineligible to vote> in the nomination meeting as per the Constitution and yet Mr. Adler> lists some of those as problematic. I can assure you that the staff at the> Provincial Office have been doing their very best to address concerns> about any and all specific membership and/or eligibility issues and that> process will continue until registration closes. In fact, we have sought more> specific information from Mr. Adler and are still awaiting that to allow> more analysis on those names if we get them from him.> > The fears raised in this letter about inadequate identification requirements> are not grounded in reality and I can assure all members that> the credentials process will be properly handled, hopefully with the support> of Kingsway activists as well as independent volunteers and staff.> > In closing I want to again state that the Provincial Executive acted to> prevent any perceptions of bias that might have undermined the integrity of> the nomination process and attempted to do so in a way that shared that> responsibility with Kingsway executive members. That attempt was> unsuccessful unfortunately but the need to have a smooth meeting was> paramount and the two independent committees will assist singificantly in> that regard.>> Yours Truly>> Jeff Fox> President NDP of BC>